44 Parachute Anti-Aircraft Regiment

History

Operations and exercises

• Mocamedes: 44 Anti-Aircraft were to be dropped with the 44 Pathfinders to receive and undergo training from UNITA, on Stinger missiles before the main force dropped. The operation never took place.
• Exercise Vlakwater: September 1989, a full troop with two gun sections of 14.5mm AA guns and one Jakkals vehicle with a Mamba double-barrelled 12.7mm AA gun, was deployed in an air drop.
• Exercise Pegasus: 14 July 1992 at approximately 2330, the then Army Battle School parachute-qualified air defence gunners were dropped over the General De Wet Training Area. Two 24 ft pallets was dropped from a C-130 transport aircraft. At 0700 on 16 July the ground forces were attacked by air which were repelled by eight 14.5 mm double-barrelled AA guns and two shoulder-launched missiles.
• Roodepoort Dam: 44 Anti-Aircraft has taken part in brigade “water jumps” over the Roodepoort Dam each year since 1990.

  Ordnance and equipment

• Russian SAM 7 missiles,
• Russian 14.5mm AA guns,
• American.50 Brownings mounted on Jakkals airborne “mini-jeeps”.

  Name Change

Leadership